Life Lessons

By Gene Jenks, East Three School, Inuvik

As an English teacher, I often use contemporary literary examples in my class. But is important for students to hear unique historical voices, like Elizabeth Colin.

Gwich'in myths give us stories from a different generation, an unfamiliar voice. The students engaged with Elizabeth Colin. And they were eager to work with her.

It surprised me how fast they were able to decipher the inner dynamics of the story.

Often our students have difficulty understanding concepts from the south. For example, they ask: What's a grain elevator?

That works both ways. Our students were able to grasp the concept of wilderness quickly.

We broke the class into small groups so each student could participate - and take ownership of the work.

I walked from group to group and saw they were taking the discussions seriously.

Their written work shows that they understood and were able to get their ideas on paper.

Student: "The lesson in this story is to be careful of anger because some of the decisions you make when angry may not be the best. Also, showing kindness may bring you a reward."